Nothing Left To Say But Goodbye
by tjmack
Summary: It happened so fast, yet so slow at the same time. One look in her bloodshot eyes told the whole story … she was dying.


**A/N:**Not entirely sure where this came from. Enjoy...and don't kill me.

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The sound of screaming could be heard, though Emma couldn't exactly pinpoint where the loud shriek was coming from. Peering backward, she saw her parents. Both were sobbing, their body's trembling, as they hid Henry behind them. For that Emma was eternally grateful. Her son did not need to see what was going on, what had happened. It had happened so fast, but in the same instance it had been almost in slow motion. The gun had raised, pointed directly at her chest, a kill shot.

Emma's lip trembled, as the screaming died down, and she realized that the screaming had been coming from herself. Perhaps it was the fear that she could have been killed, or perhaps it was grief. Either way, the sound was nearly unnatural, and now that the battle was finally over she could kneel down safely, without fear that someone might try to kill her.

So, without further thought, Emma knelt down in the wet, mossy grass. Her hands shoved against the still oozing wound that seemed to be a giant gaping hole in Regina's chest. The woman had saved her life, and as sad as it was, Emma realized that Regina was finally getting what she had been trying to earn for years. Her redemption. Her ability to prove that she could indeed change. It was just so blatantly sad that her redemption came with such high and steep price.

"Just, hold on, Regina." Emma whispered softly, brushing back an errant strand of hair.

Regina attempted to shake her head, her eyes wide in fear as she coughed hoarsely. Blood spilled onto her lips, and Emma could hear the faint sounds of gurgling in her throat. One look into Regina's bloodshot eyes told Emma the whole story. Regina was dying. Looking down at her hands, she noticed where the bullet had entered and cursed. Any higher and Regina would most likely be dead already, but the bullet had hit her in her left lung. Emma knew she wasn't a doctor, but she had seen enough television to know that a bullet in your lung, without a doctor in sight meant certain death. As it was, Emma knew the gurgling sound that she heard was Regina's lung filling with the red, sticky substance.

"Get Doc!" Emma screamed.

She knew that the little dwarf wasn't technically a doctor by real world standards, and that he probably knew next to nothing about gunshot wounds, but he was Regina's only chance.

That coward, Whale had been the first one the _evil_ side to go down. Squirrely little bastard took Cora's side when she promised to help him perfect his crazy little _science project_. In fact, most of Cora's soldiers went down rather easily. Most of them not a being of magic, except for Regina, and she had switched side near the start of the fight. Emma would have to thank Gold for his suggestion of bringing Henry to the battle field, otherwise the ultimate fight could have gone differently. She might have watched her parents die in this field, or parish herself.

"Where the hell is Doc!?" Emma screamed, as Regina coughed harshly, blood spilling onto the ground.

She looked up at her parents and watched as they both shook their heads. He hadn't made it. Not that it was surprising, their axes might be special, but those little men had no magic inside them. Both sides had lost a lot of good people in their fight to exterminate the ultimate evil, Cora. Emma could say that she was surprised when Gold had aligned himself with her family, but it made sense when she saw the fear in his eyes. _'She mustn't win.'_ was all that he would say.

"I am so sorry." Emma said, looking into Regina's dimming eyes.

Regina nodded, as a tear slipped down her cheek. Her head lulled to the right, and Emma knew what she was asking for. With a slight nod of her head, her parents began walking toward their daughter and the woman who had saved Emma's life. Regina peered back up at Emma, the words unable to find their way out of her mouth. Stuck behind the thickness of the blood. With tears in her eyes, Emma looked up at her parents. She knew what Regina wanted to say, and Emma was willing to give voice to the words that Regina could not.

"She would like me to tell you that she's sorry. It took her a very long time to realize that everything she's done was wrong."

Snow gasped out a sob, her hand over her mouth. "I forgive you, Regina." Snow forced the words out past the forming lump in her throat.

"You are forgiven, Regina. You are an honorable person. Thank you." James said, his head bowed, as tears dripped off his lashes.

Henry pushed his way from his grandparents and slid down to his knees. His thumb brushed away tears that were rolling down Regina's cheek, as he bit back a sob. Leaning forward, Henry pressed his lips to Regina's forehead. "I'm sorry this happened. I love you, mom." He whispered, before pulling back.

Emma reached out a free hand, and clasped Henry's in her own. Regina's breathing became ragged, as her eyes slipped closed. With a shaky hand, Emma reached forward, pressing two fingers against Regina's pulse point. Her pulse was thready and weak. Emma counted each pump of her heart until ne last wheezing, hitched breath shuttered out, and her body stilled. The skin behind Emma's fingers stilled completely. Emma closed her eyes, and shook her head. If Cora wasn't already dead, Emma was certain she could finish the job with her bare hands.

Henry's body jerked as sobs overtook him violently. Snow and James knelt down, pulling him into their arms, while Emma silently sobbed by herself. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Emma looked to her parents, her face was serious as she spoke. "She died a hero, and she will get buried like one."

Both of her parents nodded their heads, as they clung to their grandson. The war was finally over. Good had won, but as always, it came with a price.


End file.
